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How Much Will Obamacare's Penalties Cost You?

Obamacare is getting closer to full implementation, and many who oppose the provisions have looked at whether they can simply ignore its provisions and keep things the way they are. When it comes to health-care coverage, however, there's a price you'll pay if you don't comply with the requirements that Obamacare imposes.

In particular, Obamacare encourages insurance coverage in two different ways. Beginning next year, penalties on individuals apply to those who don't have insurance. Moreover, employers who have certain minimum numbers of workers have to provide coverage for their employees or else face penalties of their own. Let's take a closer look at those provisions.

Penalties on individualsObamacare's provisions for those who choose to ignore the individual mandate and not get insurance coverage are fairly simple. Next year, families who don't have eligible insurance will pay $95 per adult and $47.50 per child, with the total amount for each family capped at $285 or 1% of income above the filing threshold, whichever is greater. In 2015, those figures go up to $325 per adult and $162.50 per child, with caps of $975 or 2% of income above the filing threshold. The following year, Obamacare imposes penalties of $695 per adult and $345.50 per child up to $2,085 or 2.5% of income above the filing threshold. For any month without coverage, you'll pay a twelfth of the penalty amount, although you can have up to a three-month gap in coverage without incurring a penalty.

Where things get tricky, however, is in determining who's exempt from having to pay the penalty. Low-income families whose total income falls below the threshold for having to file tax returns -- which hasn't yet been determined for 2014 but would be $10,000 for individuals and $20,000 for families if the provisions applied this year -- don't have to pay a penalty. Those who make more than those amounts have to calculate how much they'd have to pay out-of-pocket to obtain health insurance under the various subsidies available under Obamacare. If their net cost, after taking away any contributions their employer makes on their behalf, is more than 8% of their income, then Obamacare wouldn't impose a penalty.

Moreover, what constitutes "eligible insurance" gets complicated as well. Insurance has to cover at least 60% of an average person's medical costs, which may exclude certain high-deductible health plans. In addition, policies have to cover certain categories of benefits, including mental health, maternity care, and hospitalization, among others.

Fines on employersIn addition to the individual mandate, Obamacare also requires employers who have 50 or more workers to offer insurance to those who work at least 30 hours a week. In general, employers will have to pay annual penalties of $2,000 per worker, with exemptions for the first 30 employees, meaning that companies with 50 uninsured employees will face fines of $40,000.

Obviously, if employers simply don't offer insurance, it's easy to figure out their liability. But the penalties can also apply even if an employer does offer insurance. If the insurance an employer provides is deemed to be unaffordable to the worker -- defined as costing the worker more than 9.5% of household income -- then that worker could receive tax credits to help pay for insurance coverage. That will trigger a penalty provision of $3,000 per subsidized worker, although the amount can never be higher than if the employer didn't offer insurance at all. More complex safe-harbor provisions may help employers avoid penalties in certain other situations. For more information, check out this list of questions and answers on employer responsibilities for Obamacare at the IRS website.

Play or payFigures from the Congressional Budget Office estimate that roughly 6 million people will choose to pay Obamacare's penalties rather than obtaining health insurance. That bodes ill for health insurers UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) , WellPoint (NYSE: ANTM) , Humana (NYSE: HUM) , and their peers, all of which have relied on the effectiveness of the individual mandate to bring in new customers to offset higher costs that Obamacare imposes on them. Moreover, with penalty revenue expected to amount to $7 billion by 2016, the price Americans will pay for not complying with the individual mandate is far from insignificant in its own right.

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the government shall pass no laws that infringe on the rights of the people, or serve their own agenda. What RIGHT does Obama have to FORCE anyone to buy HIS insurance or be fined for not doing so? We have the right to decide what we want to pay for and what coverage we need. What right does government have to seat a panel of individuals who will tell our doctors what and when and how we are to be treated or if at all, and the privacy between us and our doctors is no longer there. I cannot hardly believe we have let this go this far. We have the right to vote in or out that which does not belong, we are not a socialist government yet but if we don't speak up we soon will be. YES I am venting my frustrations with the way things are being put on us and having to worry about my life and health if I disagree.

Before the ObamaCare penalties on employers and investment income, there were the punishing insurance penalties of EMTALA. Do the new series of taxes hurt ... oh, yeah. Still, this ploy shifts the same costs from the insured to employers and taxpayers.

“If your family earns less than $250,000 a year, you will not see your taxes increased a single dime. I repeat: not a single dime. Not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.” -Obama, Sept. 12, 2008 & Feb. 24, 2009.

He did not REALLY include anything about ObamaCare Taxes, because it was Somebody Else who called it a "Tax". Obama would have called it a "Fee", so that is ANOTHER campaign promise kept.

What right does an individual have to not take care of their own lives, or have insurance for themselves, which forces the rest of us to pay higher medical costs, in order for health care facilities to have money to pay for the dead beats who have no insurance. You people who decry being forced to buy insurance......who do you think pays for those who need medical care and have no insurance. I don't understand your argument.

I am a small business owner and pay our government some $60,000 in taxes already. Now that I have to pay more why be in business. I employ 17 employees and charge $5.00 for a sub. In order to keep may doors open the price will more than double. Who pays.....everyone. I have to pass along the cost. Every time our goverment gets involved with issues, it costs the ameican tax payer. They still haven't controlled their spending only learned how to put more in their pockets.

I have my own insurance and I know people who are NOT dead beats that have NO insurance because there are NO jobs available to even obtain insurance, and what part are you missing about the panel who decides if you even get medical care, when and how much, and even if you have a right to live? It's idiots who cannot see what this truly means, and stupidity that lets the mouth run.

How many people are assuming your doctor will accept Obamacare insurance? Your doctor and/or the medical clinic may NOT accept Obamacare insurance if they presently do not accept Medicare. Check with your doctor, I did on my last visit and he said they probably will not accept Obamacare because they do not accept medicare. You may continue to pay cash or find another doctor.

why should I pay for some ones visit to the hospital when insurance is offered to them and they refuse to pay for it I am tired of my taxes paying for welfare and lazy people.i am glad we have Obamacare

People complain about having to pay for people who don't have any insurance and now that everyone is required to have affordable insurance they complain about that. Its people who hate the fact that President got this law, and rich people who can afford health care at any price, who really have a problem. However, wanna be people who have children who are under 25 and are married, with jobs, continue to keep their children on their insurance, so they use it when it benefits them, they just don't tell anyone because "Obma"care gave them that. If insurance companies didn't charge those out of control premiums, copays and deductibles, "Obama"Care would not be needed. In so many states one or two companies have a manopoly and can charge anything they want and too many people don't have the, whatever, to get specifics about their insurance and then blame the hospitals and doctors offices when they show up.

I can't afford health insurance, but it's taken out of my pay for those who can't afford it. Now I'm going to be penalized for not being able to afford it, AND it's still going to be taken out of my pay for those who can't afford it. I'm paying so others can be covered by medicaid, but I don't qualify for it. I'm sure it's this way for alot of others.

I have to wonder what all these people complaining about being forced to carry insurance do, or plan to do, when they or a family member becomes sick or gets hurt. Somehow I have a sneaking suspicion they head straight to the nearest emergency room to demand free care.

As someone who pays, and has always paid, for her own insurance I'm glad these deadbeats will be forced to pull their own weight.

I have no insurance, have been denied coverage, I rarely go to the doctor so I have very few medical bills. I can't find work with insurance, I don't work enough to qualify for insurance where I work or qualify for any benefits, I make too much for medicaid, I pay in for social security and medicare every month which buys me nothing. Now I have to pay more tax in the form of penalties for something no one will sell me because everyone else is immortal but me and I am not sick. The future is very, very bleak indeed.

Our insurance through my employer for the family runs $ 6.50, per hour worked. On an average year your looking at 1,920 hours per year times $ 6.50 = $ 12,480.00 per year. Our deductible is $ 250.00 per person, or $ 750.00 for the family. On average we rarely have exceeded $ 250.00 dollars per person, thus, most all medical expenses have been paid out of pocket. When we have exceeded $ 250.00, the insurance covers 80% of costs. Over my thirty year working career “NEVER” has any of our medical costs for a year gotten even close to what is paid for the insurance, or $ 12,480.00 a year, keeping in mind the out of pocket expenses occurred over a year. So over my career I have paid @ $ 374,440.00, “GAMBLING” that something catastrophic, would happen. Insurance of any kind is nothing more than a bet, your betting that something will happen, the house is betting that it won't. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that the cards are always stacked in the houses favor, this “IS” why it is a business.

Most payouts by the house, are covered by those of us that don't win, nothing more than a legal Ponzi.

To make this a fair game, if your going to shove it down our throats, make it a requirement to “REIMBURSE” those that have paid in, and don't use it. This would be more than fair since “ALL” are going to be “REQURIED” to play, and those that do invest, don't have to pay for those that don't. Use the 7 billion expected in penalties, to pay for those using, but not investing. It is obvious that this will never happen, just as obvious that the winners here are the insurance companies, and the United States Government. Have a nice day!

Why are so many articles written about possible negative results coming from Obamacare? Oh yeah, the fool is biased.

Anyway, these penalties sound reasonable to me. It would have been interesting to see how much insurance would cost for these same people.

Pay or play is required if the insurance companies are required to take people with pre-existing conditions, and everyone else. The costs go up each year for not participating because the costs of your non-participation also costs more each year as perhaps less healthy people continue to be covered and the non-participants group gets bigger.

The same thing is done with car insurance. If you own a car and don't have insurance, you pay a penalty when registering the car.

I don't know what all the noise is about with Obamacare. People seem to forget that over 20 million people who want insurance but can't afford it, will be able to have access to health care for the first time. .This will save 20,000 American lives every year!

The new order of business may be putting quite a few good workers at risk.

As we hear of the slowly lowering unemployment rate we cheer, but many do not realize how this is happening in the workforce. In today workforce the concept and reality of using contractors is increasing substantially. Instead of hiring a person, putting them on the payroll, providing employer covered healthcare, vacation days, paid holidays and other normal benefits, the employers are going to staffing agencies and renting their employees at what they consider to be a lower cost but this may not be the case.

Company (X) needs an employee for longer than 3 months. It’s a key position in their accounting department working on coding and GL. So they bring on a contractor (Q) who is placed via Staffing Company (Y) for an 11 month contract with no intention of ever hiring said individual.

The breakdown:

Contractor (Q) makes $15.00/hour. The Staffing Company (Y) pays them and removes the appropriate taxes. The Staffing Company (Y) charges Company (X) $30.00/hour. (it used to be an industry standard that the staffing companies charged only ¼ to 1/3 over the pay to the contractor but now it is norm to charge 2 x the pay.

Contractor (Q) is not offered any employer sponsored/participating health care. They are not paid for days off or holidays thereby losing the wages of at least 10 working days per year. They must obtain their own health care or buy into a health care that is offered via Staffing Company (Y) which may or may not be appropriate and Staffing Company (Y) is in some cases making a small amount of money for each Contractor (Q) who signs up under their plan.

Company (X) then spends 2 months training Contractor (Q) to understand the nuances of their system and to work effectively. All good. But there is no loyalty. If there is any problem, Contractor (Q) is to not inform Company (X) but only Staffing Company (Y) and Staffing Company (Y) then discusses problem with Company (X). If Contractor (Q) needs a day off or needs to leave early or arrive late, Contractor (Q) just informs Company (X) and Staffing Company (Y) of their intentions and then arrives late, leaves early or takes a day off. No pay but no work either. No loyalty. Contractor (Q) quickly realizes that Company (X) is not going to hire ever, and continues to look for a more permanent position. All Contractor (Q) has to do is give 2 weeks notice and they can be gone.

Contractor (Q) must either obtain their own health care or be fined approx. $800/year by the government for not obtaining said health care. This is approx. 1 ½ weeks of work for Contractor (Q). Finally to make this work and avoid Contractor (Q) from becoming seen as an employee they must do a few things. One, the contracts are always for less than 1 year and two, at the end of the contract, Contractor (Q) must take some time off and often must be replaced into the same company via a different staffing company. The time off can be as little as 2 week or as long as 3 months.

Contractor (Q) is employed and society cheers. But truthfully Contractor (Q) is only partially employed or underemployed as they cannot get a full 52 weeks a year employment, they are either having to find their own health care or pay a fine, and they lose the general holidays most workers are paid for, leaving them with nearly a month of unpaid leave from their job. This inspires nothing.. Certainly no loyalty or diligence as there is no hope of employment nor obviously advancement. In many cases the Contractor (Q) is paying taxes on a self employment basis in which the percent used for Social Security, Medicaid taxes are higher.

Towards the end of the contract period, Contractor (Q) is spending a certain amount of time looking for the next contract.

A new level of society has been created with the stroke of the Obamacare pen and it is not a nicer happier, warmer, fuzzier level. It is a rather cold, unfriendly place where those that run companies (regardless of their political outlook) look upon this group as disposable. So what exactly are we creating????

Is business really smart to staff through this method. They do avoid certain liabilities such as unemployment payments, medical payments etc.. (they could hire full time with a set time frame such as you are being hired for 1 year.. with benefits but then they have to kick into the workman’s comp and unemployment insurance) (Workman’s comp is the most abused overfunded under reported under investigated not transparent account in our state).

WILL YOU INVESTIGATE THIS.. WILL YOU REPORT THIS.. LOL.. I AM LAUGHING HERE BECAUSE THE DAILY NEWS CAME OUT FOR OBAMA AND OBAMA CARE AND THEREFORE YOU ARE POSSIBLY NOT ABLE TO POINT OUT ANY PROBLEMS OR SIDE EFFECTS EVEN IF YOU WERE INTERESTED.. LOL..

What amazes me is that how many of you are clueless when it comes to health care and the money that fuels it. EVERY civilized country in the world has this type of heath care, we pay the 2nd lowest income taxes in the civilized world. America should lead the world and being a christain country wouldn't Jesus want the poor and sick cared for? Yes he would but I know that's not the 2013 Republican way, yet we save were the party of the Lord...No we once were, not anymore.. Obama says I wont raise your taxes? Now the big thing here is.. He's raising our taxes. How? Do you know that when someone without insurance goes to the ER "WE" end up paying for them? No, I'm sure. We cover the cost for so many people who refuse to pay for health insurance and I'm sick and tried of it. What is the number one rated health care in America with over 6,000,000 enrolled? The VA and Medicare both Gov't healthcare. Humm... Do any of you know that this health care ACA used Romney care as the outline? Do you know that Bob Dole and the Republican's once wanted almost the exact health care program? LMAO I'm sure none of you do or care. Our party was once the party of the people.. Now? The Rich, Racists, hillrods, White trash, hypocrites, and the Lets pick and choose what parts of the Bible we will endorse. We REPUBLICANS will lose again in 2016 if we keep this Tealiban style garbage going! Were is my old party? Were are the Bob Dole/Daddy Bush/Eisenhower Republicans?? Did this happen because a Black guy won?

How dare you! This is the last straw! I have worked full time my entire adult life, paid my taxes-even though I do not agree how they are spent-have never hurt anyone and raised my kids to be kind, competent, self-reliant and compassionate to their fellow man.

In the last 12 years I have lost all trust in our government. How dare you force something like this on the American people? Just because you think it is best for us?! We are not your children and you are supposed to listen to us even when you think we may be wrong. Anything else is treason. We are supposed to be a FREE country not a FEE country!

It is unfortunately true that we cannot change our government by any legal means left to us; as they have become to powerful and all encompassing. My family members have fought and died for this country and now I am looking for a better place to finish raising my family...I am truly saddened by this statement as I have no hope left for the people of the USA to enjoy expanded freedoms. I see only more rules and more fines and more lost freedoms under the guise of safety.

I used to count myself an American Patriot but being a Patriot in America is now considered being anti-government and I have been put on a watch list for speaking my mind about our government!....that alone should send a message to the people and enrage the entire free thinking populace!

Our government was supposed to be "for the people by the people" now it is something tainted and perverted and disgusting that only wishes to keep its current control and expand its power. I am ashamed of our system and see no hope for a brighter future for Americans.

Research world history yourselves. Pay attention to those countries in the past that have disarmed their citizens and started removing personal individual freedoms for the good of the state. You will see the US is on the same scary liberty stealing path. Our freedoms as individuals are doomed.

Ask yourself these questions "Why did the government quietly repeal Posse Comitatus?" and "why does the US need a civilian security force as large, powerful and well-funded as the military?" This is obama's idea of a better state; remove the laws that prohibited the government from using a military force to police the country's citizens and create a new force that is loyal to him because he knows the Oath Keepers in our military will not turn their weapons on the American people, then impose his own Idea of what is best for us all. He once accidently said on an unknown open mic that "The American people are dumb and they should just listen to me." This is scary stuff and just the tip of the iceberg. Any politician who has this type of mentality is absolutely treasonous.

Do your own research, do not listen to the news without vetting the information being given to you yourself. If you do you will find so many lies, duplicity, cover ups and straight up appalling acts by our current government, and past ones too, that you will be outraged and or ashamed. Do your own research for the good of all mankind! Make your own educated decisions instead of just following who ever is barking loudest...including me.

Sorry for the rambling rant but I am fed up and feel we have no legal recourse to correct our current situation...and no matter how mad I get I know we cannot fight the government physically. It is the two party system that has become so flawed and corrupted it is un-repairable. Until we have a system where individuals have a chance to be elected we are subjects and not true citizens. Signed: a Heartbroken former Patriot.

I don't care what it costs me, I REFUSE to buy into it. Someone above said that people without insurance are deadbeats and demand free care when they get sick. Not so, my friend. It's called CASH and it even gets you around the whole "who is your referring doctor" game as well. Insurance is not healthcare.

"Screw Obama and his health care plan. I'm not signing up for that garbage. I'll just do what all his illegals do. Just go to the emergency room and let Obama take care of my expenses."

So what's new? I'm willing to bet you've done that all along. The good news is that thanks to Obamacare you might actually be forced to pay a fraction of what your care is worth instead of just simply leeching.

It's not going to cost anyone anything because 80% of the population can't afford health insurance. Plus, there is no penalty for not paying the penalty on the TAX. Further more, there is a huge ground swell of people now refusing to pay their taxes realizing that if we all refuse to be pressured and oppressed the Government is completely helpless to force us to comply. Let the revolt begin.

TedAllen, I'm sure that works fine as long as you rarely get sick and never break a bone. But who pays for major medical - the sudden onset chest pain that turns out to be a blocked artery, or the rectal bleeding episode that turns out to be bowel cancer?

Sure you can sell your house, assuming you have plenty of equity and kids to take you in, or empty out your retirement savings, assuming you have any, but then what? You just assume the doctors and nurses will work for free and the government will pay for your meds? And what about people who have kids with life-threatening illnesses? Who is supposed to pay for their treatment? Me, and the rest of us who do carry insurance?

Health insurance is no different from auto insurance. You hope you never have to use it, but you sure don't want to be without it if you do.

Beside the fact that over three quarters of the American population have no idea of what they'll have to do to comply with Obamacare, let alone how they will be able to afford it, the massive of cost of implementing and monitoring compliance with the law will turn this whole ill-conceived plan into a monstrous disaster that will be doomed to failure. Or, as Senator Max Bachus (D) one of the principal architects of Obamacare, proclaimed, a coming "train wreck".

Obamacare penalities will not cost me a penny,I will claim to be here illegally when I use the ER and since they are not allowed to call ICE or turn you in, but they have to treat you,It will not cost me a penny.

To all of you ingorant hateful "people" here calling people without insurance "deadbeats".

Have you ever worked full time and still had to choose between buying food for your 2 children or paying for insurance? Have you ever had to choose between shoes to get to work in and paying for health care? If not you have no right to call anyone a deadbeat. I have worked full time for over 20 years and simply cannot afford health care so the government is now going to fine me for being a working class broke citizen? I fall in the catergory of working to much to have subsidized health care but cant afford to pay for it on my own.

We are not deadbeats! We are the working class poor that CANNOT AFFORD the outrageous premiums charged by these FOR PROFIT companies! I do not quailfy for state run health care becuase I work instead of staying home on my ass.

Your "deadbeat" comments simply prove you live in a myoptic little world and you have ZERO compassion for your fellow man and ZERO knowledge of what it is like to EARN your own way without having anything handed to you.

I urge you to read the "Obamacare" bill in its entirety for yourself instead of just listening to your favorite politicians "promises" on how it wont cost anyone, wont harm anyone and is fair to all....

Educate yourself, do your own research and then when you fully understand the issue speak on it. Until then you are just a tool for whatever agenda you have been duped into believing... Just another hypocritical sheep living in a semi comfortable existance supporting whatever will keep them comfortable all the while saying they strongly believe in the greater good...as long as they do not have to sacrifice anything or help pay for it themselves....disgusting

You know what? Now that I think about it, I'm probably better off not working. I make about $800 a month. If I go on disability, I can get about $980, plus free health care, plus $200 in food stamps, plus free education.

I am still waiting for the benefits I was suppose to receive such as no tax increase. I work part time, I never know how much I will make because my hours vary, I commute to work an hour and home an hour. I am in a higher tax bracket then Obama.

I got noting back and had to pay in. Why do I pay more than the politicians?

I would be happy if I was going to be able to receive health insurance and at a reasonable cost.

Instead, employers do not want to offer jobs where they have to give benefits, or if you work enough hours to get benefits they reduce your pay.

It seems health insurance companies make plenty of money. Didn't they donate 45 million to Obama's campaign which they made from peoples premiums. It seems like you pay a deductible and then 20% which most likely covers the bill and the rest is split between the health insurance companies and the hospitals. And they say most people who have health insurance end up in bankrupcy if they have to use it, that secure feeling is not that secure. And before you know it they will have panels of people who are illiterate deciding your medical care and who will live or die, hospitals will be providing experimental treatments to make money. It is very scarey. I wish I could see a glimmer of hope. All I see is doom.

PEOPLE!!! PLEASE LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE! This has been coming for a loooong time...yes America is a "free" country....but....if you pay attention...socialism is taking over one law at a time and communism is not that far behind (do what I say or else)! And those of you that refuse to see...when you decide to open your eyes it will be too late.

America is still the best place in the world to live...but we are bending over way too low and letting government control us. They are supposed to work for us...not the other way around. But if we are not careful...it will become the worst place in the world to live.

'Your "deadbeat" comments simply prove you live in a myoptic little world and you have ZERO compassion for your fellow man and ZERO knowledge of what it is like to EARN your own way without having anything handed to you.

Honey, I have worked fulltime since I was 16, and never asked anybody for anything, and that INCLUDES health care, since I have always carried insurance, even when I had to do without to pay for it. It's called being a responsible adult. Tell me, what do you plan to do when one of your kids falls out of a tree and breaks both it's legs? Take it to the emergency room and expect free care?

I don't have insurance anymore most claims were denied, and the ones that were covered were only partial paid and I had to pay the bills anyways to keep them off my credit. I went from paying $1500 a month plus $3k deductible for insurance 7 years ago to the pay as I need it method and in 7 years I've spent just over $2k.

I am going to do what all the people who voted for and support Obama do - quit working, go on disability and get FREE insurance. I have been working since I was 15, PAYING taxes for politicans to waste and spend as they see fit, spending the money I paid into Social Security. I have collected unemployment maybe a total of 3 months in my life (I am now 50), raised a child without getting the freebies that most single parents get and I will be damned if I am paying money into a system so broke and wasteful for anything. I AM DONE - FED UP - go take another vacation on my tax dollars Obama's because this is the last bit of money you will get from my household. This country is no longer AMERICA, HOME OF THE FREE and pretty soon will be taken over by millions of criminals from Mexico and terrorists from Middle East (google "how many times have the Muslim Brotherhood visted the White House" in the last 4 years and just tell me where we are headed.

One can only hope that this don't crush what's left of this great nations backbone (Small Business and Middle Class). It will take decades to undo Obama's policy's.

The misunderstanding of the problem. We said we can't afford healthcare we need healthcare reform. His solution is to force over priced health care on everyone not to enact laws to protect our credit form insurance claim rejects. When the real problem is the lack of high paying jobs that left this country, fixing the billing/claim/credit problem, doctors overcharging insurance and you can't blame them they are lucky if they get paid, drugs 10 times what there worth.

Why is this it's because insurance went from being insurance to being a medical subsidy. Insurance was intended for the probability of a claim. What is turned into is the free loading cover everything, I don't want to pay for my own way, everyone owes me, because the "man" keeps me down.

This is what's wrong with insurance. I went to the hospital for a foot injury they took 1 x-ray of my foot and 3 of my knee why my knee I still don't know. They were about to take a 4th of my knee when I told them I didn't have insurance. They abruptly stopped never looked at the x-rays and told me it was sprained $50 an x-ray cash and I could go home.

Health Insurance isn't insurance at all it's simply a shared discount program. When I had insurance my dentist was willing to take $3k cash Vs. billing insurance for over $7k in work. You wonder why? insurance was only paying around .35 cent on the dollar and it was going to take months to get paid.

I read all the negative comments and understand many points made. However, I have seen multiple attempts since the 1960's to get some sort of health care reform done and it never happened until the Health Affordability Act (Obama Care) was passed. Since the '60s, health costs have taken over a larger and larger portion of the entire US Gross Domestic Product Dollars. The entire system is broken and costs are in uncontrolled runaway basis (for health care, insurance costs, and drug costs). The system where no one buys any insurance until they are old or have a problem doesn't/didn't work. Those without insurance simply go to emergency rooms to get care if and when they ever got sick. So what do we do? Obama Care at least trys to do something to get everyone insured so they are not a burden to society when they do need health care. If Obama Care needs tweaking - so be it. Work on the problems, but do not throw out the baby with the bathwater. However, in addition to this, the ROOT-CAUSE of the entire health industry problems will STILL NEED to be addressed. This no medical accountability, no concern for the actual consumer (patient), no effective competition, money-or-your-life system needs an entire makeover at the very basic roots of the entire industry. The patient is totally forgotten at all layers of the present system. Doctors, hospitals, insurance companies, drug companies, etc. simply all raise rates because they can without any consequences. The rate increase sky has no limit. Without some REAL COMPETITION in all medical areas, we as a society are domed to the medical industry eventually taking over the entire Domestic product of our country for themselves.

Why can't people go in and pay $50 to hear they have a sprained ankle. How does it change the outcome? There is a 50% chance they won't read the x-ray correctly and you will furher hurt yourself anyway. Just because they have an x-ray machine doesn't mean they have knowledge about reading e-rays.

I just think it is outrageous to pay $6000 a year for insurance and then have to pay your own medical bills. You end up paying three times what you owed. I am being taxed to death.

I can't walk out the door without being taxed. And to what good is it?

I have a feeling all the people calling other people deadbeats work for the government and they are the true deadbeats sponging off the taxpayer. This obamacare is unlawful in that it penalizes a certain group of people "workers", and doesnt penalized the welfare cheats and illegal immigrants and also unions are excempt. i have heathcare but just on principle I wont be in no big hurry to reup and I never get a refund so I will be in no hurry to pay no penalty just on principle. The rest of you "little people" do what you want. When this fiasco is done and over hope to see many of you on the other side.

1. Millions are and will lose the insurance Obama promised they could keep. Because ObamaCare forces employers to offer expensive Cadillac plans but also offers the option of paying a fine for not providing health insurance that can be cheaper than providing it, between seven and twenty million Americans are likely to lose their health insurance coverage according to the Congressional Budget Office. The original estimate was closer to four million.

2. The cost of healthcare premiums is about to further skyrocket. Premium costs have already exploded, but that is a slow-motion explosion. In the near future, we could see costs double or worse. Naturally, these costs will hit an already burdened middle class hardest.

3. Lost jobs. Lost jobs.

The Federal Reserve's March beige book on economic activity noted that businesses "cited the unknown effects of the Affordable Care Act as reasons for planned layoffs and reluctance to hire more staff."

Meanwhile, human resources consulting firm Adecco found that half of the small businesses it surveyed in January either plan to cut their workforce, not hire new workers, or shift to part-time or temporary help because of ObamaCare.

4. Potential doctor shortages that will mean rationing: The healthcare industry is already a bureaucratic quagmire. ObamaCare is about to add steroids. As the profession becomes tyrannized by government, the talented people currently practicing medicine plan to get out sooner than expected. Who knows how many will choose not to get in.

Doctor shortages are what lead to the nightmare known as rationed care. Here's an unsettling example already being practiced.

5. Somewhere around $800 billion in tax increases will hit America's middle class. This added burden will not only further oppress a middle class already reeling from a drop in wages over the last few years, but could damage the overall economy.

6. Inflation, the cruelest tax on the poor. When businesses get socked with added costs brought about by higher taxes and burdensome government mandates, they pass those cost along to the consumer in the form of higher prices.

7. Added bureaucracy. Even those Obama lapdogs over at the Washington Post's Wonk Blog are admitting that applying for health care is about to get more burdensome than the byzantine paperwork involved in buying a home.

8. To cut costs or to avoid having to provide insurance, workers on the economic margins are already losing hours, which means a lower paycheck. There are a million sad stories in ObamaVille; here are just a few of them.

9. ObamaCare is projected to add $6.2 TRILLION to a deficit the GAO has already declared "unsustainable." That's "trillion" with a "t".

10. More taxes than currently estimated are likely to hit because of situations like this one.

Three years ago, Obama, Democrats, and his media lied to us about cutting the cost of health care, being able to keep our insurance, and not taxing the middle class.

Today, those lies and what ObamaCare is and will do to the working and middle class are the biggest untold story in America.

The govt becoming more involved in health care is the reason the costs have increased. So...Govt creates a crisis, then provides a solution that comes at the expense of liberty and freedom, costs trillions, and by most accounts won't solve the problem but in fact make it far worse.Corruption, incompetence, disregard of the Constitution, and above all lying are integral to the way that this country is being run

My employer offers health care... it cost $6,000 a year for myself and $9,000 a year if I add my children. That is 12% of my salary to cover just myself if I want to be insured for something I don't use!!! 12%!!! I am a manager, a single father of two and my household medical expenses have been under $500 a year for as long as I can remember so I dropped my insurance. If I am sick, I will pay my bill. My point is, with Obama care, I will be able to afford my companies healthcare!!! My company is being forced to offer affordable insurance or pay a penalty. Yay!!!

The American worker has been paying for their employers healthcare for a LONG time and Obama Care makes them buy their own insurance instead of raising the cost of their employees health care to cover the owners, executives and their families health expenses. Now can you see why the business owners are complaining? Yes, their expenses will go up. They may raise the price of their products to the customers in hopes that someone else will cover their insurance, but do NOT be fooled people. You are paying the business owners insurance and have been all along.

What does the Democrats have to gain from forcing everyone to have insurance? This evens the playing field for everyone and helps to regulate insurance companies. I can NOT believe the Republican party is so offended that the "evil" Obama administration is forcing dead beats to either offer insurance, have insurance, in an effort to cut government cost and regulate the insurance companies. My question to the hard right is this... Where were you???

Where was your loud voices when Bush passed the freedom act that enabled the US government to intercept your phone calls without a warrant? A big infringement on your Rights?? Imposing Government will and going against the Constitution?? What is the difference between now and then? I will tell you, It is because Obama did it... nothing more, nothing less. I could not stand Bush but I being an American loving person saw the need for the freedom act more than I saw the hate for Bush and I am asking all America loving Republicans to do the same instead of finger pointing.

I imagine this is how the conversation went, when obamacare was discussed and approved.

Man 1: I got a great idea for this universal health care everyone is clamoring for.

Man 2: What's that? Do we create a unified health plan that will provide coverage for the basic medical needs of all Americans regardless of sex. age, and home income? Do we use government funding to provide this much needed service to the people?

Man 1: Nah man, we force everyone in America to purchase their own individual or family policies, and if they have a job, we force the companies to provide insurance at the workers cost. Then, we give them a deadline and if they don't comply, we fine them a butt-load of money, which we take directly from their tax returns, or for the businesses we levy against them for a minimum of $40,000 if they don't provide the exact insurance we tell them too.

Man 2: So you're saying, we force them all to get insurance on their dime, none of this costs government funding so I can still afford my three summer homes (all paid for with taxpayer money) and if they don't like it and just ignore us, we take their money anyway?

They are using Darwinism to decide who receives medical treatment. I think it is unfair. There are alot of good hard working people out there and people who are good and want to work but can't find work.

Corporations are deciding who lives and who dies by their decisions of whether or not to allow an individual access to their healthcare plan. Who lives and who dies is based on Darwinism.

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I think they are using Obama care as a distraction to keep us from paying attention to the total disaster to come.

I just thank god ever day that they haven't busted my door down and cut my ears off to see if they will grow flowers.

everybody crying about mandatory health insurance but nobody cries about mandatory car insurance which you have to have to drive off the lot, and if you dont have it there is a uninsured penalty.I bet the same people who are whining about everything obama does, will benefit from obamacare the most if you see fit, and it works as it should. there are just a bunch of fear based selfish followers who feel someone is trying to take stuff from them. Dont be a part of the "someone is trying to take stuff from me crowd" it makes you look ridiculous, and dont blame your miserable lives on other people, just enjoy your life no one is trying to take stuff from you. And we are never going back in time just to make you happy while the rest of the world is zooming right by us...

start arming your self's, stop voting , stop paying hard earned money to organized criminal's in the federal and state leadership of the country.Like somebody said in a comment before me" what are they going to do if we don't pay their demand fee's? They can't and won't put us all in prison,they won't have any body to slave for them, and you think when it all come's right down to it, there would be enough of own military would have the courage to turn the gun on their own friend's and family? I don't think so. Our system is broken, it has been for a long time.There is a old sheriff back in town, and ready to stand up for our right's, liberty and pursuit of happiness . " The Hard working People of the United State's"

so let me get this straight I work and can barely afford health care I am raising a grand daughter who has coverage thru the state. My boyfriend who hasn't worked in two years and ran out his unemployment has no health coverage. He is 61 so I guess I get fined right?

As I've been saying for 2 years now, Obamacare is a devious means of removing the leftist/socialists' definition of "undesirables". That is, everyone who, for whatever reason, consumes more than they produce, including but not limited to: the elderly, the permanently disabled, the mentally ill, the intellectually challenged (excluding themselves of course), the very poor, and children whose health will always be dicey.

And Obamacare will neatly accomplish this by making sure these people CANNOT get health care, thus ending thier lives rather quickly. And the best part is...Obama bin Hitler doesn't have to spend our money on stuff like railroad spurs, rolling stock, barracks, barbed wire, underground "showers" or really big ovens. Ain't that efficient? Ain't that spiffy? Ain't he grand?

You know, welfare is not about the Federal government at all. It is state administered. SNAP or food stamps is a program funded by the Federal Government but administered by the states. It varies from state to state as to who qualifies. The person that said they would quit their job and get disability is fooling themselves. It takes a minimum of two years to usually get SSDI and many have to hire a lawyer. State disability varies by state. People act like welfare is a Federal thing and it is not.

Canada has National healthcare, England and other countries. It is ludicrous so many don't want to pay for it. It is needed or people are going to go bust. If too many doctors refuse to take this medical insurance, then something will be created that will counter that but if it is like Medicare it probably will offer places like HMOs you can join. I cannot imagine why so many people say socialism because this isn't or communism which is a knee jerk statement. Obama is a Progressive Democrat and not a Liberal Democrat. We need to stop using conservative and liberals because there are many factions within these parties now and it is no longer applicable in this century.

Instead of getting hysterical and name calling, check out Massachusetts and see how their insurance coverage is going? Insurance companies and the medical profession are for profit and that is part of the problem. They are service companies and need to be non profit in nature. This does not mean they cannot make money but this skyrocketing prices would stop.

This country is NOT a Christian one. Many are Christian here but what does that mean. It is not the same thing to everyone and their are hundreds of denominations all calling themselves that, that don't agree. The country itself is secular. The fastest growing religion in this country is Wicca. I don't belong to that faith but it is a fact because I write articles on various topics. People seem to think Medicare and SS are a free ride too and we pay for both of these, the seniors. Health insurances made give many a bad taste but we have to do something because one car accident, one case of cancer can bankrupt a family. Do we want to have to again do these write offs that clearly impact the medical profession in a negative way. It comes around full circle and this is the way to solve the problem. It had to be forced because if not, they way people are in this country now, they would never get insurance and things would keep going on the way it has and people have died being refused operations because they either had no insurance or it was a precondition. I don't feel sorry for anyone who is crying about having to get medical insurance. I haven't looked into what happens if you are an illegal but it seems to be a way to weed them out. They need to make sure they are reported.

Reading these posts allow me to realize why this country is where it is. Ignorant people are allowed to vote. Educate yourself before you vote. Obama should have never been voted in office the first time let alone a second term.

First of all to the idiot that called the uninsured dead beats. I am an uninsured AMERICAN! I work my ass off making a little over minimum wage. I am not on welfare (which are the dead beats) that I along with all other hard working Americans pay for them to have insurance. They are the ones that abuse the system. They can go to the Dr. every time they want. I for one cannot, because I can't afford the visits. So get your facts right! And since I will not fall into the category for Obama care and I don't see putting freezes on the utility companies, or gas prices going down, or food prices going down. Therefore my financial situation will remain the same so I would love to know where the number one idiot thinks I am going to get the money to pay for insurance. I would love to have insurance but I refuse to sit on my ass all day and collect welfare. I will continue to work hard and earn what I have the honest way!

Hey people! It's high time we wake up and take back our country by force if necessary! We did it in the 1700s when King George III taxed tead.....remember the Boston Tea Party? SO WHY NOT THE OBAMACARE PARTY!

It's time to rise up and rebel against this unjust, socialist, liberal, take everything you've got government. Or do you not remember the immortal words of Lincoln, "of the people, by the people, and for the people"????

YOUR NATION is sick and on life support as it is. IF WE allow this hemorrhage to continue, it will cost you more than money. It will cost you blood, sweat, and tears! A new revolution is coming to this country. It won't be against a foreign dictator but from the wolf in sheep's clothing.

Expect another UNcivil war to break out in this nation that will result in the deaths of MILLIONS not 650K that died in the War Between the States! It is coming! Prepare!

Folks, this is not just about the costs and penalties.........If anyone has any dealings with government agencies they will understand what I am saying here. The entire healthcare system will now begin to get inefficient and will continue to get worse as time goes on. The government CANNOT do anything efficiently or effectively so get ready for level of your healthcare to drop dramatically.

How about making the WELFARE people pay their fair share? I am sure they are receiving a check that is more than I actually earn each week. Or...take $95 a month out of their check for the FREE health care they are getting now and abusing the system with. That is WHY our health care is sky high....Why cater to the people who do GIVE BACK but just SIT BACK and collect each month. Wake Up America!!!!

i'm 62 and have no healthcare, go ahead fine me put me in jail, 3 hot meals, free housing,free healthcare, air conditioning free exercise programs, i'm getting to old to care what the politicians try to do to me, maybe i'll just retire and go on welfare, Give the worker his country back

I personally would eventually benefit from this package, BUT, I do not agree with it. This is a TAX NO MATTER HOW you look at it.

I am over 60 and my husband is also. He is a Disable Veteran and is receiving "pension" that is around $1500 a month. I am his caregiver which is included in that amount. The government has edited and doctored his military medical records so that instead of him being able to receive what his is actually entitled to is denied. He had 2 heart attacks and high blood pressure while in the service, and never treated for them. His records show a 'VIRAL SYNDROME"

By the time all our bills are paid, we have under $200 a month for food or any extras we may need. Yeah RIGHT! In order for me to have health insurance, it would cost about $350 per month. Do we eat or buy insurance that is highly overpriced and over rated? Sorry, but I think I would like to be able to eat at least once a day and believe me there are times that is all we eat. Our savings is all gone and has been for over 5 years.

Now if I try to work to have just a little extra, GUESS WHAT? For every PENNY I would make, they take it from him. When I am eligible for SS and Medicare They take it from him.

We paid SS and Medicare out of our income every week for the 40 years we worked. Now Where is it? Check to see how many bonds both of those agencies hold. Those bonds are what the government has taken from those programs to PAY FOR OTHER things because they can not control THEIR SPENDING. OBAMACARE is just another of those TAXES to enable them to contiue UNCONTROLLED spending.

Medicare no longer covers the medical expenses it is suppose to. Now you have to have a SUPPLEMENTAL policy. Another way to take more and more from those that have worked all their lives in hopes to have some enjoyment at retirement.

Obamacare is a Joke, A TAX. There was a time you could go to the doctor and maybe pay $20-$25 dollars for the office call. Now you cannot walk into one for less than $100 or more. The medical profession is not about the patients anymore, It is about the ALL MIGHTY DOLLAR. Insurance companies are the biggest cause for this. Doctors and Hospitals figured out they could double, triple and quadruple the charges, adding items to the inventory to charge for whether it was done or not.

The penalties for not having insurance are not within our constitutional rights. This is an UN-REPRESENTED TAX. There is no Physical item to make this a lawful tax or "FEE". Has anyone even stated what those Penalties will be used for? They can tell you anything they think you want to hear, but there is no proof. Medical expenses will continue to rise as long as those in the medical field don't care about the patients but that BUCK they can STEAL from the people of this country. Whether it is through the insurance companies or by any other means they can get away with. Why do doctors need a policy against MALPRACTICE? They don't care and neither do the insurance companies. Their Policy is "IF YOU SCRATCH MY BACK, I WILL SCRATCH YOURS."

With the Deficit this country now has, The instability of employment, and dozens of other things that is slowly but surely taken away the freedom of the American People, Congress has just voted themselves ANOTHER RAISE!!!! SERIOUSLY???? You have to be kidding me. They take weeks, months, even years to do what is the right thing for this country, but when it is something that benefits them, it is done in a heartbeat, OURS.

Some of you are saying there is nothing we can do about the politicians. YES, there is. WE ARE THE VOTING PUBLIC. We know who is doing their job the way it should or should not be. WE THE PEOPLE CAN VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE AND REPLACE THEM.

If you get a chance, take a look at what all of them earn after they leave office WHICH IS PAID FOR WITH OUR TAXES. Take a look at the SLUSH FUNDS and see where those are going. Take a look at all the funds being tagged for projects THAT NEVER GET DONE. Take a look at what the government is doing to our education systems. Take a look at all the teachers that are no longer teaching because of FEDERAL CUTS and the number of students now in those classrooms. In some schools as many as 40 students per class. They can not get the teaching they need and the teachers can not do the one on one when needed. Expenses for everything we do today are skyrocketing with no relief in site. Take a look at the many other programs that the sick and elderly or very young really need. They are all being cut or discontinued.

Even changes in our fuel for getting to our destinations every day is going through the roof. There was supposed to be a better gas milage car to reduce the consumption of fuel. All well and good except for one thing. E10. E10 reduces how many miles per gallon you get. Hybrids are fine but 80-90% of the American people can't afford to pay for those cars either.

RETHINK your next Congressman, Representative, or Senator. Who is he going to work for. You or his WALLET???????

The IRS is a bloodthirsty federal department. If a taxpayer makes a simple error, they do not tell you for about 2 years and then include penalties and interest. Then, they only give you a couple of weeks to pay or more interest is charged.

I have read rants so often about those of us who are uninsured and costing the insured more money that I finally have to respond. Ten years ago, I was in renal failure. It took three operations to get the kidney stone out which was blocking the kidney function. It cost me $10,000 each operation, plus. I ended up with a bill of over $32,000. When I asked the hospital financial dept. for help they told me that they had to charge everyone the same no matter what, so I got no forgiveness on any part of the bill. Later, I learned that the insurance companies and the federal government negotiate lower fees and the difference is made up by those of us who do not have a voice. Ten years later I have paid the entire amount by myself with no help from anyone including you, Esbamm. Furthermore, fifteen years ago I talked with an insurance agent about getting insurance for myself and was told that, because of my diabetes, it would cost me in the neighborhood of $700 a month. Now, you with insurance know that that would be much more now than fifteen years ago and that there would be deductibles to meet and not everything would be paid even though I had made the monthly payments. But for simplicity's sake, let's take that $700 a month for the last fifteen years and come up with a total cash outlay of $126,000. I'd say I got a bargain paying "only" $32,000 for my life.

So, I am a stay home mom and I have a child with my boyfriend and he has a child whom he has custody of. He works while I watch both kids. His son has insurance through his mother. My bf and me and my daughter do not.... I know he will get insurance thru his work for him and our daughter, but since we aren't married what happens to me? I don't know if he can cover me since we aren't married let alone afford coverage for me. So what then? I don't work so how would I qualify or even be fined? This is confusing.

I am a single mother divorced. I do not get paid if I do not work. I am a massage therapist. My little boy needs to eat. He needs clothes. I need to pay rent for us to have a place to sleep. I have to pay for car insurance, phone, electric, and cable to finish this BS degree I will owe thousands to repay. My parents have died. I don't have anyone to lean on but my own hands. I have not had health insurance in 6 years. I work out everyday and eat healthy praying that I do not get sick. I almost feel like if I got sick it would be better to commit suicide then"burden" taxpayers trying to keep me "alive" I don't have a dollar left and am ALWAYS behind. So here's your 95 bucks at tax time for me not paying everything I make for health insurance. Should be homeless to pay it or what?? Bite me.

BTW my son gets Medicaid but I don't. I am a student and have been working my whole life. Times are tough and all they did was offer me free birth control at 38. Thanks Uncle Sam. I have been working since 14 years old sticking money in the system with my taxes and my dad was a Vietnam Vet. Feel let down

Sending report...

Dan Caplinger has been a contract writer for the Motley Fool since 2006. As the Fool's Director of Investment Planning, Dan oversees much of the personal-finance and investment-planning content published daily on Fool.com. With a background as an estate-planning attorney and independent financial consultant, Dan's articles are based on more than 20 years of experience from all angles of the financial world.
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